Yo-Yo tricksters display talents during Neighborhood Toy Store Day

JACKSON, MI -- Kids were walking the dog in the Toy House and Baby Too Saturday afternoon in Jackson.

Except at the end of the leash was a yo-yo, not a dog.

The yo-yo competition was one event taking place during Neighborhood Toy
Store Day. Other activities included a Lego building contest and
giveaways.

“All
around the country locally owned toy stores are doing all kinds of
events,” said Phil Wrzesinski, owner of the Toy House. “It first started
to get people to shop locally, it makes people think of where they
shop.”

This was the third year the Toy House has participated in the national event and the first time a yo-yo contest was featured.

Store
clerk Lakisha Spencer said this year they wanted to make
the event as big as possible, so the store workers came up with the idea
to add the contest.

Twelve-year-old Hannah Cain was shopping with her mother and siblings when she took part in the event.

“I needed something to do, and I felt like it would be entertaining,” Hannah, of Horton said.

The
competition wasn’t the only new event this year. The store also
donated more than 5,000 educational toys to residents and Jackson County schools.

“The
majority of the toys went to Jackson County schools,” he
said. “We then did a drawing for customers with the leftovers. They can
donate them to wherever they want on their own behalf.”

Wrzesinski
applied for the opportunity through the trade magazine TD Monthly, and
the 5,000 toys came from manufacturers. Each school received a box with $200
worth of toys and drawings were done for five customers to also receive a
box.

Wrzesinski
said attendance for the event was the best it’s ever been, and
estimated more than 500 people to stop by.

At
the end of the day, store workers judged the Lego building contest.
People dropped off the creations after constructing them at home.
There was a 2-by-2 foot size restriction, and entries were
categorized according to age.

“It’s
fascinating to look at the Legos,” said store clerk Erica McNair of,
Jackson. “Everybody expresses things differently. Today has been a
perfect example of how people want to come out and play.”